, 1887-09-07
ANTIGUA.

...4#44 -. ANTIGUA.
The Antigua. new House of Assembly was
opened on Tuesday, the 10Th July, by his
Honour Administrator Porter. The follow
ing is a part Of his speech: g"
"Mr. President and Gentlemen of the
Honorable Legislative. Council,-Hls En-
cellency the Right Honorable Viscount
Gormanston having proceeded to England on
leave of absence, the duty of administering
temporarily the Government of the Leeward
Islands has devolved on me-. There is a gene
raj feeling of regret that Lord Gormanston's
departure should have been FASTENED by an
attack of illness which rendered it imperative
that he should sooner than he intended seek
in a colder climate relief and rest from the
duties and labours of his high and response.
BILE office, and 1 am sure you share with
me the hope that he may rapidly recover his
health and speedily return to US. The n3ce6-
sity of leaving so soon compelled His Lord
ship to relinquisl to me the honour and plea
sure of opening this new Legislative Council,
"Mr. President and Gentlemen, you meet
at q time when Antigua, in common with al
sugar growing possessions of the Crown
owing to a combination of adverse 'circum-
stances; finds its prosperity seriously dhnl-
nished: However, a gradual recovery from
the existing general commercial depression
may reasonably be expected. Experience
teaches us that the universal movements of
industries and trade exhibit an inevitable
law of ebb and flow. Persevering efforts, not
in all cases unsuccessful, have been made by
those interested in agriculture and sugar
making in this island to overcome the diff
culties and discouragements of the last three
or four years. In some. instances the plan
toti0nc Of ohCnOtnnC haVn hQnn tIAnfpTra6 to
resident capitalists, by whom they are being
worked with a combined energy and judici-
GUS expenditure, and at the same time with
some success notwithstanding the present
severe competition and consequent low
prices. In one important instance the
continuance and further development of d
factory making on a considerable scale sugar
of very high quality have been assured by the
provision .of-capital by. IA English company.
1.-The producers of sugar in this as in other
colonies attribute the reduction of theirsprofts
very5much to what. is styled the HuptA
System of certain continental states, and
dissatisfactionis felt and expressed at what is
considered to be the Discrimination of the
Imperial Government to take decided mea
srres to- compel foreign Governments ito
discontinue tbs apreiiiurl they now payn
their own growers. Mfr. President and
Gentlemen. great difficulties surround this
NATTER t. involves two capital questions
the grave responsibility of dealing 4 with
which falls on the Ministers of the Queen
and the Parliament of England. Firstly
the delicate question: of interfering, in. any
way, with the domestic policy of Foreign
Powers8;, and, secondly, Che questiono of adopt
ing measures contrary to the commercial and
fiscal policy now long declared and acted on
by both the great politica parties in the
ground for the hope that the diplomatic
sction of t5ses British Government pay result
ina modification, if not in the entire abolition
of the.bonnta system existing in thes beet
rowing countries.8 IHkAE EE&
1.-THE finances Of the Presidency are in. a
satisfactory state, and at present there is d
comparatively large cash reserve in. the Urea